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Mulki urges public agencies to cut spending

‘We do not want to resort to citizens’ pockets yet again’

By Laila Azzeh - Aug 27,2016 - Last updated at Aug 27,2016

AMMAN — While public agencies’ performance will be evaluated based on specific standards, Prime Minister Hani Mulki on Saturday underlined the importance of “self-monitoring” as a way to serve the country.

Addressing participants at the 14th Government Leadership Forum, he called on agencies to better manage their expenditure in the last three months of this year.

“We do not want to resort to citizens’ pockets yet again with the start of next year. Money saved by government agencies should not be used to purchase unnecessary things,” said the premier.

Mulki added that he will not allow senior officials to own cars with big engines at the public’s expense and said the use of government cars is restricted to working hours.

“We are on the verge of a new budget and are required to work with the lowest operational expenses possible... to best serve citizens,” he noted.

The forum, which was organised by the Public Sector Development Ministry, focused on standards by which the performance of public institutions will be evaluated to ensure their adherence to the government’s executive plan.

“Improving performance should be a commitment by every official. Everyone should assess [his/her] work before waiting for the Audit Bureau’s reports,” said Mulki.

He noted that evaluating institutions’ performance and services is a precise and daunting process, adding that the government will reward innovation and excellence.

Public Sector Development Minister Yasera Ghosheh said there are 639 indicators distributed across 22 pillars to monitor the public sector’s devotion to the government’s executive plan.

“In the Letter of Designation, His Majesty King Abdullah called for immediate and effective measures to improve the performance of the government system,” she highlighted.

Administrative reform starts with evaluating the performance of government agencies and institutions, and paving the way for competent leaders, added Ghosheh.

The institutional performance includes the level of achieving and enhancing objectives over the years, while the financial pillar includes controlling current expenditure and increasing revenues for income-generating departments, according to the ministry.

The Government Leadership Forum seeks to help leaders — such as secretaries general and directors of public agencies — learn from the experiences of countries that achieved economic growth by reforming public administration.

 

Over the past two years, the forum has hosted a number of foreign politicians and experts in the field of governance and public administration.

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